The present invention relates generally to games and amusement devices in which a projectile is hurled toward a target surface and specifically to a target game provided with means for securing the projectile onto the surface of a target by contact engagement of the projectile and target surface materials.
Various types of target games are known which utilize missiles, balls, darts, and the like which become secured to a target for indicating the position of the projectile on the target. Older target games such as dart games utilized a pointed steel needle or blade secured to the nose of the missile which penetrated the surface of the target and held the missile in place. In later versions of the game, a rubber friction cup was substituted for the pointed steel needle to secure the missile to the target surface. Both designs were less than satisfactory since the steel tipped dart is generally dangerous for less skilled users or children, and while the suction cup dart is relatively safe, the sticking action of the cup to the target surface is less than satisfactory.
In recent years, a contact engaging type material has come into use which features a first type of contact engaging material made of a multitude of short filaments of synthetic plastic such as nylon which are adapted to mesh with and interlock against a second contact engaging type material which is made of a multitude of short wire-like filaments which are shaped to become hooked with the filaments of the first type material. These materials are presently commercially available under the name of Velcro manufactured by the Velcro Corporation, New York City, N.Y.
With the advent of Velcro, various target games have been proposed in which a projectile such as a ball has strips of the hook type members affixed thereon which is thrown toward a target surface of the mating mesh loop type material. Such games are safe as compared to steel tipped darts and adhere to the target surface much more readily and with a lesser amount of force than did the suction cup tipped devices. In spite of these advances, certain disadvantages remained with the prior target game devices. For instance, the prior devices were not well adapted to target games in which it was desired to "stack" succeeding projectiles in order to cancel out earlier throws.